The Laughter Will Live On
by dannylion962
Summary: After the Battle of Hogwarts has ended, the victims and survivors must learn that it does not all end in tears.


The Laughter Will Live On

~Fred has died in the battle and is left as a wandering soul to grieve for his friends, but will a shadow of life guide him back to the laughter he once knew.~

Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series nor Les Miserables.

Fred looked across the room at his rejoicing family members who faces were soaked in tears from happiness and sorrow. He wiped his own tears away and went out to comfort his mother, but he merely passed through her like a wind. He let out a choking sob knowing he would never be able to hold his family again. "Don't worry, she knows you care."

The ginger snapped his head around to the direction of the voice and stared at the malnourished girl. She had long choppy dark hair and was dressed in a simple black dress with a sash tightened around her already tiny waist. "Who are you?"

The girl smiled softly and walked towards him looking at the survivors of the battle, "My name is Eponine." They stared at each other for a few moments before Eponine continued, "Your family love you very much, Fred." Fred reached out to touch his twin, but when George turned his head he saw nothing. One by one the victims of the battle began showing up mingling as breezes in the eyes of survivors.

"What do we do? They… they will grieve for a long time," Lavender said quietly.

Eponine smiled and walked towards the girl, "You give them a symbol that you are okay."

Lupin took Tonks hand and glided towards Eponine, "Were you a student?"

Eponine grinned rubbing her arm, "I died a long time ago. And I help those who worry for the ones they leave behind and show them the way to move on."

Fred looked at the girl questionably and pried further into the young girl's death, "How? I mean how did you die?"

Eponine sat on the chair across from the Weasley family, "I was in a battle like all of you. I took a bullet for the man I loved. But he was in love with someone else, but I watched him happily marry. He grieved for his friends as well, but we must show your friends and family they can move on."

Snape stepped forward from the crowd of dead ignoring the murmurs, "And how do you suppose we do that?"

Eponine smiled standing up and placing a hand on Molly's shoulder smiling, _"Do you hear the people sing lost in the valley of the night? It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light. For the wretched of the earth there is a flame that never dies. Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise."_

Lupin smiled through his tears and began belting out the song, _"They will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord. They will walk behind the ploughshare; they will put away the sword. The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward."_

Eponine smiled and began to lead each of the fallen to their friends as they all sang along, _"Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me? Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see? Do you hear the people sing? Say, do you hear the distant drums? It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes!" _Eponine smiled as relief filled the faces of the survivors and dead alike except for one man. He was tall and dressed in black standing in the corner of the Great Hall, she had seen his life unfold as the woman he loved merely cast him aside.

Snape cast his eyes downward as Eponine stood in front of him, "No one here will grieve for me."

Eponine smiled widely taking his hands into hers leading him to the boy named Harry Potter and placed Snape's hands on his shoulder, "He will now that he knows the truth."

As if a tidal wave had hit Snape's hard exterior he melted into the song, _"Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me? Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?"_

Fred pulled Eponine aside laughing as the victims rejoiced in the song, "Thank you. I mean this…it just made everything better. But what happens now? I mean to us. I-I…" Eponine giggled as the ginger stuttered over his words and the color rose to his cheeks, "I mean what happens to those who passed away."

Eponine smiled softly standing on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on the ginger's forehead, "You live among the others who have fallen in battles like you."

Fred smiled pulling Eponine into the circle of the victims who clasped their hands with each other, _"Do you hear the people sing? Say, do you hear the distant drums? It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes..." _

Soon the victims of the Battle of Hogwarts began to disappear in their patronus except for Fred who held Eponine's hand tighter, _"Tomorrow comes!"_

Harry looked around the students then to Hermione and Ron, "Did you hear that?"

Ron clutched his eyes tightly trying to remain steady, "I heard something it sounded like Fred…and…everyone."

Hermione smiled through a burst of tears, "I think it's Fawkes way of saying they are okay."


End file.
